The present invention relates to a tactical sling system to assist and enable law enforcement and military personnel to better and more efficiently support and usefully manipulate their sling mounted weapons, and more particularly to systems which enable close body carriage in high alert situations and converting to a distanced body carriage to enable a sight aimed position.
Conventional weapons sling systems have several shortcomings which denigrate their complete utilization in tactical situations. The first and most obvious is seen with respect to the vast majority of slings which are used for the two main purposes of carrying a rifle or other long weapon from a shouldered position, and the use of the sling for wrapping partially about the extended arm of the shooter to steady the weapon for sniping or distance aiming. The carriage of the weapon near the body in its upright orientation simply is not easily attainable with most sling systems because the attachment points for a sling on a conventional rifle or other long weapon is from fittings on the bottom of the rear stock and extending from a position at the bottom of the weapon near the front grip.
Further, most sling systems do not enable the rifle to be carried close to the body with a quick adjust to a second carriage position where the rifle may be brought forward for action. Most straps require a fumbling adjustment to go from one position to the other. With these limitations, the weapon may be carried close to the body and only fired on short notice in a lowered position. Alternatively, a strap can be adjusted to an extended position, but the rifle will receive no substantial close body support except by the user supporting it completely by the use of the arms. The fatigue factor from supporting the rifle completely with the arms diminishes the reaction time and accuracy of the user.
Most tactical team members carry, in addition to a rifle, supplies, communication equipment, ammunition, body armor, and other utility equipment. Managing the rifle, in addition to the other equipment, makes the need for a tactical sling system even more acute.
What is needed is a sling system which enables a rifle to be carried in an upright, ready for firing orientation, and provides a quick, virtually instant transition between a close to the body fire-from-a-lowered-position orientation to an extended aiming fire orientation. The needed sling system should be as silent as possible, avoiding self generated sounds as well as making sounds against the rifle or other equipment. The sling system should provide for stable support of the rifle in all of the carry positions and release only by either the natural aiming action, or by a manual release. The needed sling should be adjustable to enable a user to adjust for a variety of both close to the body and away from the body positions. The needed sling should also have the ability to permit backpack carry of the rifle.
To meet the above described need, an adjustable sling system provides a quick release fitting which enables the sling system to transition from a close to the body quick fire position to an away from the body aiming position. The adjustable sling system incorporates a first end having a first attachment fitting carried closer to the forward grip of a rifle having a first portion of the first end attached to an extended rubber core web surrounded section. A release clip has a first end supported by a tension ring which is supported along a length of webbing extending from the first portion, and includes a riveted connection to the web strap and reinforcement plate as it extends from the first end. The release clip has an overall xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape, and where one side of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape is indented to apply force to the other side to provide one factor in keeping a buckle fitting within the release clip when a rifle is to be carried at the side in quick shoot position. The angular approach to the force contact area is more gently sloped in the direction of entry to facilitate a re-positioning into the close body position. The slope in the direction of capture is calculated with respect to the force of the spring action to insure that the close body position is maintained absent a deliberate forward aiming motion. In addition the buckle fitting includes a first aperture which enables it to slide on the web strap away from the first end, and a second aperture through which the release clip operates and which secures a post on the buckle fitting between the first and second apertures, and within the release clip. The buckle fitting is curved to provide increased holding force when the rifle is carried in the close body position and to provide an easier release force when the rifle is raised to the aiming position.
The web strap extends away from the first end, through a shoulder adjust fitting, then through a strap aperture of the buckle and then to a termination at the shoulder adjust fitting at a second end. The second end typically terminated in a loop about the shoulder adjust fitting. A sliding fitting preferably includes a tension ring which slides along the web strap nearer the first end of the an adjustable sling system and provides a second attachment fitting to attach to the rifle nearer its stock end. Permissible terminations for both the first and second attachment fittings may include hooks, snap hooks, or buckle and web adjustable attachment fittings.
A second adjustable sling system for use with military full back packs is disclosed and which enables a sliding fitting on a rifle sling to be used with a xe2x80x9cYxe2x80x9d shaped support which connects to a backpack or load bearing equipment. This second adjustable sling system enables a soldier to off load some of the effort in supporting his rifle on the sling system while enabling a wide range of support orientations of the rifle to be achieved. The rifle may be left to rest in a general vertical, downwardly oriented position to free the soldier""s arms when the rifle is not being utilized.
Rifle attached fittings are disclosed which permit rifles to be supported in the vertical position with either of the first or second adjustable sling systems.